PHYSARELLA 109 



here and there minute knot-like thickenings, straight tubes containing 

 lime-granules extending from the exterior to the interior walls of the 

 sporangium, persistently attached to the former.^ 



Such is Dr. Peck's original description of this most peculiar genus. 

 The form of the sporangium in the only species is very variable, but 

 in typical cases is vasiform, the peridial wall at the apex introverted. 

 The capillitium is like that of Tibnadoche, except for the presence of 

 the "straight tubes" emphasized in the original description. These 

 are very remarkable and at once diagnostic. They take origin in the 

 sporangial wall and pass across to the "columella" ; but at the de- 

 hiscence of the sporangium, in typical cases, they remain attached at 

 the points of origin, projecting as stout spine-like processes. 



Physarella oblonga (Berk. & C.) Morg. 



Plate VIII., Figs. 4, 4a, 4^ 4<:; Plate XVI., Figs. 1, 1 a, 1 b, and 6. 



1873. Trichamphora oblonga Berk. & C, Grev., II., p. 66. 



1876. Tilmadoche oblonga (Berk. & C.) Rost., Mon. A pp., p. 13. 



1876. Tilmadoche hians Rost., Mon. App., p 14. 



1882. Physarella mirabilis Peck, Bull. Torr. Bot. Club, IX., p. 61. 



1893. Physarella oblonga (Berk. & C.) Morg., Jour. Cin. Soc, p. 79. 



1894. Physarella mirabilis Peck, List., Mycet., p. 68. 



1899. Physarella oblonga (Berk. & C.) Morg., Macbr., N. A. S., p. 71. 

 1911. Physarella oblonga Morg., List., Mycet., 2nd ed., p. 91. 



Sporangia scattered or gregarious, typically cup-shaped or sub- 

 infundibuliform, stipitate, erect or cernuous, but varying through 

 low salver-shaped cups, to irregular applanate and sessile masses, the 

 peridium thin but firm, tawny, roughened by numerous yellowish 

 calcareous scales, at length ruptured above and often reflexed in the 

 form of petal-like segments from which project upwards the spiniform 

 trabecules of the capillitium; stipe when present long, terete, red, 

 arising from a scant hypothallus and extended within the sporangium 

 to meet the tubular "columella" ; capillitium of delicate violaceous 

 threads seldom branched or united, radiating from the columella with 

 few calcareous nodular expansions, but supported by stout yellow cal- 

 careous trabecules, running parallel to the capillitial threads, long 

 adherent to the sporangial wall ; spores smooth, globose violet-brown, 

 7-8 fx. 



1 These little structures have a fairly architectural appearance and may be 

 called trabecules, — trabecule, little beams. 



